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The sight of unwanted furniture marked 'free' on our street corners has fast become commonplace as homeowners opt for a stress-free way to offload their possessions.

But fed up councils warn those who carry out the practice face the same punishments as litterbugs dumping fridges and mattresses in fly-tip hotspots.

Ministers said furniture should not be left outside homes for more than a day so as not to cause a nuisance for pedestrians or create a eyesore.

Therese Coffey, the Environment minister, told The Daily Telegraph: "Recycling is clearly much better than goods ending up in landfill, but it's important people don't leave furniture outside their homes for more than a day or so as that can cause disruption for pedestrians and can be an eyesore for neighbours.

"Everyone needs to understand they have a responsibility for their waste and that is why we have introduced new fixed penalty notices to stop wanton fly-tipping."

Authorities say the rise of middle class fly-tipping has seen increasing numbers of cabinets, sofas and wardrobes left unattended outside homes, instead of previously being disposed of at charity shops and recycling centres.

Its popularity was highlighted this week in a YouGov survey, which showed that one in eight British adults had admitted taking something left outside a home that was being given away.

Councils have warned people who give away their possessions on the streetCredit:
Alamy

But councils stressed the practice is illegal and warned perpetrators could face fines and even jail terms if they repeatedly offend.

Town halls in London, Bristol, Brighton, York and Edinburgh told The Daily Telegraph the issue is affecting its streets.

Critics said furniture left outside homes had become obstacles for people in wheelchairs and parents walking with pushchairs, while some expressed fears it encouraged further littering.

Fines of up to £400 could be served to culprits, Richard McIlwain, the chief executive of Keep Britain Tidy, warned.

Kamila Williamson, from the Brondesbury Residents Association, in Kilburn, London said street boot fairs had become a "daily occurrence" in some well-heeled suburbs.

Household objects are left on the street for bystanders to take free of chargeCredit:
Alamy

She told The Daily Telegraph: "There has been a huge rise in the ‘middle class fly-tipping’ since Brent began charging for household items collection and removal.

“The majority of items left on the streets end up in a landfill.

"It is a daily occurrence not only in the Brondesbury area but also in the surrounding Queen’s Park and West Hampstead.

Councils say the practice is just as troublesome as fly-tippingCredit:
Leon Neal/Getty Images

"It is each individual residents responsibility to maintain their own area clean and orderly. Don’t say “Someone else will take care of it”. You are that ‘someone else’."

In London, the cost to councils of clearing up fly-tipping was found to be £18m a year, according to a recent report commissioned by the London Environment Directors Network and Keep Britain Tidy.

Keith Townsend, Ealing Council's executive director for environment, said: “We know that residents often want to identify ways for recycling and reusing items they may no longer want, and the intentions behind ‘free to take’ are often very positive.

“We really need residents to take responsibility for getting rid of their unwanted items properly, and our preference would be for them to use the council’s bulky waste service, take items to recycling centres or use services such as Freecycle that encourage items to be reused.

One in eight British adults have admitted taking something left outside a home that was being given awayCredit:
Leon Neal/Getty Images

“The legal position is that items left on the public highway are considered fly tip and residents leaving these items could be liable for a fine.”

In Brighton, council leaders said furniture left on the street had become a "big issue".

Robert Nemeth, a Conservative councillor at Brighton & Hove Council, said: "The way I see it, is that it’s fly tipping with good intentions.

“I represent an area that has many narrow pavements, and in an area that is very cluttered with bins already, this does not help. "Especially when it comes to young mums with buggies and elderly people on mobility scooters.”

Critics say unwanted items have become obstacles on pavements and encourage further litteringCredit:
Leon Neal/Getty Images

Charity worker Chris Todd, 51, from Hollingdean, Brighton, is among those who admitted to leaving his furniture outside his home to be picked up by strangers.

He said: "We’ve put all sorts out. Plants, chairs, small tables, shelving, kids toys and much more I can’t remember.

“Often we don’t see who takes them. If we do get feedback, it’s always positive, especially with plants. I would say 95 per cent of things go.

“Those that don’t we dispose of responsibly and we don’t leave things out overnight, which is when people are more likely to mess around. We’ve also occasionally picked up things from other people.”

A Brighton & Hove Council spokesperson said: "It is against the law for residents, businesses or visitors to fly-tip waste rather than disposing of it responsibly.

“This is a big issue for us in Brighton & Hove due to our communal bin system.

"Often items are left by residents with good intentions but this does have an impact on our service and the appearance of the city; fly tipping often leads to littering, graffiti and other offences.”

The Local Government Association, which represents more than 370 councils across England and Wales, said its latest figures showed the cost to taxpayers of clearing up fly-tipping rose to £57 million last year – a 13 per cent increase on the previous year.